# "Rare" episodes of syndicated reruns? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442 "2005-09-07T00:23:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/41 "2005-09-08T02:37:25Z")
The Star Trek: TOS episode The Way To Eden was often skipped over in early syndication. I don’t know why. Other TOS that were sometimes dumped from the order for no reason that I could find are For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky, Requiem for Methuselah, Obsession. This all from memory of the early 1970s, watching the reruns and reading the newsletters/magazines I could get a hold of as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/42 "2005-09-08T03:21:47Z")
> [@](#): > > What about that one episode of This Old House where Norm Abrams fellates a donkey? Or, as Letterman once said, the infamous final episode where Bob Villa goes insane and kills everybody with a nailgun. I don’t think Nickelodeon as _ever_ shown the final ep of The Angry Beavers where they find out their life is really a TV show. Nick doesn’t like to run definitive ‘final’ episodes because then they can show reruns for years before kids catch on that the show’s not in production anymore. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/43 "2005-09-08T03:25:58Z")
> [@Steve Wright](#): > > Two episodes of the original _Star Trek_ - “Plato’s Stepchildren” and “The Empath” - weren’t shown on the BBC for many years; I believe the reason was that both episodes contained depictions of torture that contravened broadcasting standards guidelines. (I’m pretty sure that both episodes were broadcast, though, the last time the BBC did _Star Trek_ re-runs.) One episode of TNG where Data mentioned that Ireland was reunified in 2027 threw violence in went unaired for years in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![The\_New\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@The\_New\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_New_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/44 "2005-09-08T07:02:23Z")
> [@Steve Wright](#): > > Two episodes of the original _Star Trek_ - “Plato’s Stepchildren” and “The Empath” - weren’t shown on the BBC for many years; I believe the reason was that both episodes contained depictions of torture that contravened broadcasting standards guidelines. (I’m pretty sure that both episodes were broadcast, though, the last time the BBC did _Star Trek_ re-runs.) You didn’t miss much with “The Empath”. Hands-down the worst Star Trek episode. ---
**Author:** ![The\_New\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@The\_New\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_New_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/45 "2005-09-08T07:12:10Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > I may be confusing Milton Berle with someone else, but if I remember _The Backstage History of Saturday Night Live_ accurately, its account says that Berle generally spent the week of his show strutting around the studio being arrogant and making himself beloved by none, so that might account for his episode being pulled. That’s pretty much exactly what happened. From the book _Live From New York_: Rick Ludwin, NBC Vice President: “…Lorne was so upset with the way Milton had steamrolled his way over everyone that he never wanted that show to see the light of day again.” ---
**Author:** ![BluePitbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BluePitbull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BluePitbull)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/46 "2005-09-08T10:36:19Z")
> [@Hail Ants](#): > > Or, as Letterman once said, the infamous final episode where Bob Villa goes insane and kills everybody with a nailgun. > > I don’t think Nickelodeon as _ever_ shown the final ep of The Angry Beavers where they find out their life is really a TV show. Nick doesn’t like to run definitive ‘final’ episodes because then they can show reruns for years before kids catch on that the show’s not in production anymore. :mad: I heard about this episode. I wish I can see it if it ever come to DVD but I doubt Nickelodeon will do it. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/47 "2005-09-08T10:49:04Z")
Comedy Central never seems to show the “Jared Has Aides” episode of South Park, which is one reason I’m looking forward to the Season 6 DVDs. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/48 "2005-09-08T11:12:37Z")
“The Tick Loves Santa!” has been skipped so far in Toon Disney’s schedule. Damn them, it’s the only one I have left to record. They may be holding it for December, we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/49 "2005-09-08T11:14:13Z")
> [@Fern Forest](#): > > “The Tick Loves Santa!” has been skipped so far in Toon Disney’s schedule. Damn them, it’s the only one I have left to record. They may be holding it for December, we’ll see. “it’s a yule tide!!” ---
**Author:** ![Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chance_the_Gardener)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/50 "2005-09-08T13:22:51Z")
After the famous “Fire! Fire!” incident in that trailer park, the episodes of _Beavis & Butt-Head_ where we saw Beavis’s pyromania in evidence vanished from the air. I don’t know how often this show still appears on TV, since I haven’t had cable for years, but I still feel this is one of the most regrettable occurrences in the history of television. I doubt MTV will air those episodes anytime soon. I’d think they could stick them on DVDs, but I’ve never looked into it. I have to wonder about it, since they stayed away from pyromania in the movie, where they had much more license to do whatever the hell they want. I mean, they didn’t even _swear_. They swore in _South Park_’s movie… _and_ they set fire to people. Anyway, seems those _Beavis & Butt-Head_ episodes will never see airtime again. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/51 "2005-09-08T13:50:18Z")
Buffy actually shot an episode where a student was planning a school shootout, which was set to air right after Columbine. It’s never seen the light of day, and probably never will. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/52 "2005-09-08T14:01:22Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Buffy actually shot an episode where a student was planning a school shootout, which was set to air right after Columbine. It’s never seen the light of day, and probably never will. Eh? The one where Buffy had telepathy and Whatshisname, the spellcaster of the semi-evil trio, was going to shoot him self in the tower not kill all the students and the lunchlady poisoned the Jello and she tried to kill Xander? That was broadcast. ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/53 "2005-09-08T16:06:54Z")
Yeah, that episode of Buffy (“Earshot”) as well as “Graduation Day, Part 2” were both delayed by a few months but they eventually aired before the beginning of Season 4. They were shown in Canada when they were originally scheduled to show, so tons of bootlegs were available in America. Not that I’m condoning that practice of course, but it’s a point of historical trivia. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/54 "2005-09-08T16:32:53Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#): > > The infamous _Home_ episode of **The X-Files** wasn’t rebroadcast for several years. Which one was that? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/55 "2005-09-08T16:47:02Z")
The _All In The Family_ episode where a friend of the Bunker’s dies and when they go to comfort the friend’s roommate (also a friend of theirs) she comes out as a lesbian to Edith. The dead woman was her partner. Edith, of course, is not at all troubled by the news but Archie, _of course_, freaks out. I don’t recall ever seeing that when I was younger and happened to catch it a few months ago. None of my friends recalled it either. **ARCHIE:** You mean [she’s] a l-l-lez? ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/56 "2005-09-08T16:54:58Z")
> [@The Chao Goes Mu](#): > > The _All In The Family_ episode where a friend of the Bunker’s dies and when they go to comfort the friend’s roommate (also a friend of theirs) she comes out as a lesbian to Edith. The dead woman was her partner. I know I’ve seen that one a few times in reruns. The dead woman is a cousin, and Archie is hoping to inherit a sterling tea set that belonged to a mutual family member (with an eye to selling it). The dead cousin’s partner wants to keep it since the two women had tea together every day after work and it holds happy memories. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/57 "2005-09-08T16:59:31Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Early 1980s-era SNL episodes are also never rerun. Speaking of _SNL_, they’ve also never repeated the episode hosted by Andrew “Dice” Clay. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/58 "2005-09-08T17:01:48Z")
Not being personally involved, I can’t prove this, but my guess is that the 171 unsyndicated “Bonanza” episodes was just economics. There was a total of 431 eps. Taking out 171 leaves 260, which would allow a licensee to show an entire year’s worth (running 5 days a week). Most syndication packages turn around in around six months, since a lot of programmers don’t want to bite off on more than a six-month period. I’d be willing to bet that anyone _could_ have licensed the entire 431 eps, but no one would want to have that extra 171, knowing that they might well not be wanting to carry the series for that long. Similarly, the syndication for my aforementioned “Mannix” contains 130 eps (for a six month run). That is entire Seasons 2-6 and a few from Season 7 to make it a round number. All of Seasons 1 and 8, and most of Season 7 are omitted. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/59 "2005-09-08T17:06:21Z")
> [@Fern Forest](#): > > “The Tick Loves Santa!” has been skipped so far in Toon Disney’s schedule. Damn them, it’s the only one I have left to record. They may be holding it for December, we’ll see. Ooh, yes, very frustrating. I have vague memories of the episode which I saw during the show’s original run, but I would like to see it again. > [@cbawlmer](#): > > Yeah, that episode of Buffy (“Earshot”) as well as “Graduation Day, Part 2” were both delayed by a few months but they eventually aired before the beginning of Season 4. They were shown in Canada when they were originally scheduled to show, so tons of bootlegs were available in America. Both episodes also appear in their proper places in syndication packages and on the DVD set. -Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442/60 "2005-09-08T20:49:48Z")
An episode of _the Avengers_ - “A Touch of Brimstone” was banned from American airwaves for being way too racy for middle America in the mid-1960s. The story had Mrs. Emma Peel infiltrating the nefarious London “Hellfire Club” as the whip-wielding [Queen of Sin](http://theavengers.tv/forever/peel1-21a.htm). That episode was not broadcast in the States until the early 90’s, when A&E reran the entire series - including the unaired (stateside) Cathy Gale episodes. As an interesting aside, the comic book series “the X-Men” featured a multi-issue storyline in which they are pitted against evil aristocratic mutants known as the Hellfire Club. The X-Man Jean Grey (actually the Phoenix, who asssumed Jean Grey’s identity…oh, never mind. For the sake of simplicity - it’s Jean Grey) was hypnotized into becoming the Hellfire Club’s whip-wielding [Black Queen.](http://jbgallery.ourbunch.net/sketch-xmen/images/pheonix_byrne-1.jpg) Coincidence? I think not. Homage? Considering most folks stateside did not even know about the original, it’s doubtful. Lifted idea that Claremont tried to pass off as his own? … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rare-episodes-of-syndicated-reruns/320442.md?page=4)